Wireless communication networks typically include wireless access systems with equipment such as wireless access, control, and routing nodes that provide wireless communication services for wireless communication devices. A typical wireless communication network includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between wireless communication devices, service providers, and other end user devices. These user communications typically include voice calls, data exchanges, web pages, streaming media, or text messages, among other communication services.
In some Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication systems, cells of LTE access nodes may broadcast public land mobile network (PLMN) signals. These signals include information about the network that is broadcasting the signals, as well as information about the carrier or channels available within the network. As the PLMN signals are broadcast, wireless communication devices identify the signals, and compare the signals to a local data structure on the device to determine the appropriate network to join. However, although the PLMNs may assist in notifying devices of the identity of a network and the corresponding channels of the network, it becomes difficult for the service provider to preserve network resources or channels for specific network conditions.
Overview
A wireless access node transmits an available Public Land Mobile Network Identifier (PLMN ID) associated with available wireless channels to a wireless device. The wireless access node receives the available PLMN ID from the wireless device and responsively exchanges signals with the wireless device over the available wireless channels. The wireless access node identifies a transition condition for the wireless communication device and responsively transfers a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) and a hidden PLMN ID to the wireless communication device. The hidden PLMN ID is associated with hidden wireless channels. The wireless access node receives the PCI and the hidden PLMN ID from the wireless communication device and responsively exchanges signals with the wireless communication device over the hidden wireless channels.